Acetylene-gas lamp.



L. HARTMANN.

ACETYLENE GAS LAMP. APPLICATION rusn'muz. 20. 1912.

1,142,421. Patented June 8, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- lzfigwooeoz 5% I 5 mm wfoz THE NORRIS PETERS CO4.PHOTWLITHOU WASHINGTON. D. C

L. HARTMANN.

ACETYLENE GAS LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. 1912.

1 142 421 Patented June 8, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Es A

LOUIS HARTMANN, F MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORTO HENRY IDEN, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y.; HENRY .AMRHEIN EXECUTOR OF SAID IDENQ DEOEASED.

ACETYLENE-GAS LAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1915.

Application filed March 20, 1912. Serial No. 685,077.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, LOUIS HARTMANN, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of 7 Mount Vernon, in thecounty of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements 1n Acetylene-Gas Lamps, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to acetylene gas lamps of that type in which thefeed is carbid to water, and it has particular relation to an improvedconstruction of the feed portion of the plunger by'which the feed iseffected. I

My improvements are especially adapted for employment in that class oflamps which comprise a composite structure for the generation andburning of acetylene gas and in which granulated or pulverulent carbidis fed to a body of water in a generating chamber in successive smallquantities at such frequent intervals and in such manner that thegeneration of gas is maintained for continuous use at the burner and thefeed of carbid is automatically controlled by the pressure of the gasgenerated.

Lamps of the structural type above set forth have heretofore usuallybeen irregular and uncertain in operation, owing to the 'indefinite andvariable quantities of carbid fed to the generating chamber, by reasonof the imperfect structural characteristics of the plunger, thus causinga fluctuatmg and 1rregular gas supply which precludes uniform operation.Heretofore, the feed portion of the plunger has usually been constructedwith a view to feeding the carbid in regular graduated and predeterminedquantities, for

instance by means of chambers formed in the plunger and adapted to carrya predetermined charge of carbid, such chambers being usually arrangedin successive series and being respectively of umform capaclty. Underthe constructions Just noted, 1n which the desideratum is to feed thecarbid in regular graduated or predetermined quantities or charges, thefeed of the full charge of carbid, according to the capacitv of thecarbid-carryingchamber, results whether the required extent of gasgeneration demands a lesser or greater quantity of carbid than thatcomprised in the charge so fed, and thereby the pressures of thegenerated gas fluctuate and the operation at the burner is renderdirregular and variable.

- My invention is designed to overcome the 7 conditions and objectionsabove referred to,

by providing an improved feed plunger havlng a feed portion adapted tofeed the carbid in variable quantities which are balanced or conform tothe conditions of required generation, so that there will be fedonly'such quantity of carbid as is required to produce the necessarygeneration and pressures, whereby the degree .of generation is uniformlymaintained and the conflux of gasgenerating elements will be socontrolled that the rate of generation will be automatically maintainedin uniformity with the rate of consumptlon.

A further object of invention is to provide an improved feed plungerwhich will be adapted for effective and positive operation under a verylow gas pressure,

end of the plunger in its operative relation to the valve ring,lookingat the side or edge of the construction constituting the feed portion ofthe plunger. Fig. 3 is a detail new, on an enlarged scale, of the lowerend of the plunger, looking at the front or face of the constructionconstituting the feed portion of the plunger. Fig. 4: is a detailhorizontal sectional view on the line m'w, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detailhorizontal sectional view on the line y-y, Fig. 2. Figs.

6, 7 and 8 are detail vertical sectional views,

on an enlarged scale, illustrating the operative action of the feedportion of the plunger, with relation to the feed orifice con stitutedby the valve ring, under different positions of the plunger withrelation to the valve ring. 'Fig. 9 is .a detail sectional viewillustratingthe gradual variations in the width of the feed orificeformed by the one-sided open recess, under the reciprocal action of theplunger with relation'to the feed-orifice edge ofthe valve member. Fig.i

10 is a detail sectional view corresponding to Fig. 9.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same referencecharacters.

Referring to the drawings, the type of lamp therein illustratedcomprises a water holder, 1, which constitutes the generating chamberand base of the lamp, and the carbid holder, 2, which constitutes achamber to which the gas passes from the generating chamber. above thegenerating chamber. and is provided with a convergent or inclinedbottom, 3, directed toward the feed passage existing between thegenerating chamber and the carbid holder, which inclined bottom isadapted for the downward passage of the body of carbid in the holder 2.The only communication between the generating chamher and carbid holderis through said feed passage, and the carbid holder is preferablydetachably mounted in connection with the generating chamber, to enableseparation and convenient filling. The feed passage is constituted by aflexible valve ring, 4-, preferably formed of rubber and carried by asuitable holder, as at 5, which is preferably detachably connected withthe bottom portion of the carbid holder. lhe valve ring has aconcentrically inclined or concave top surface, as at 6, and aconcentrically inclined or concave bottom surface, as at 7, and said topand bottom surfaces converge to a thin blunt inner edge, as at 8, whichenhances flexibility at the feed passage and reduces the area offrictional contact with the feed plunger.

9 designates the feed plunger, which reciprocally operates within thevalve ring and is preferably constituted by a rod having a cylindricalcontour corresponding to the feed orifice of the valve ring andfrictionally bearing with relation to the inner edge 8 thereof. At thetop of the carbid holder is mounteda flexible diaphragm, 10, preferablyformed of rubber and adapted to be expanded upwardly by the pressure ofthe gas which passes from the generating chamber through the feedpassage to the carbid holder. Means are provided for depressing saiddiaphragm as the gas pressure lessens, for instance a top weight, as at11, to which the diaphragm is connected. The plunger is suitablyconnected to said diaphragm and depends therefrom, so that itsreciprocal operation is controlled by the flexible action of thediaphragm. A cover, 12, is mounted at the top of the carbid holder, overthe diaphragm, and carries a suitable gas burner, 14, to which the gasis fed by a tube, 15, extending from the carbid holder. In its generaldetail features the lamp to which my improvements are applied may be asabove described or may be of any The carbid holder is arranged suitableor adapted construction, the essen tial features of the type of lamprelated to my invention being a feed passage between the generatinchamber and carbid holder, a feed plunger reciprocating within saidpassage, and a memberactuated by the pressure of the generated gas tocause the actuation of the feed plunger.

In my invention and improvements, the feed plunger 9 is recessed, as at16, at its feed portion, which recess constitutes the feed portion ofthe plunger and is formed in the circumferential surface of thecylindrical plunger rod at one side thereof and has the conformation andoperative characteristics which will be hereinafter fully described.

Beneath the recess 16 the body of the plunger circumferentially conformsto the opening or orifice in the valve ring 4-, the contour beingpreferably cylindrical, as shown at 17, whereby the feed passage isclosed against the carbid when the diaphragm 10 is expanded upwardly bythe gas pressure, and the same circumferential contour is preferablyprovided immediately above the recess 16, as at 18, whereby the sameclosed conditions will be effected in any action of the plunger whichcarries the recessed carbid-feeding portion entirely beneath the feedpassage.

The recess 16 is of gradually increasing depth with relation to thediameter of the plunger, so that starting from the plane of thecircumference of the plunger the recess gradually increases in depth andcapacity, and this structural condition is best produced by a concavedreduced portion formed in the side of the plunger and constituting saidrecess. In the preferred features of construction, the recess isconstituted a concaved reduced portion having a segmental contour withrelation to the longitu dinal plane of the plunger, the greatest depthof said segmental concave being ap proximately at the central or medianline of the plunger, whereby at such area of greatest depth the recessis substantially the same in width as the diameter of the plun er andits width is gradually reduced as it tapers in its segmental contourabove and belew said point of greatest depth to the periphery of theplunger. The edges of the recess 16, at said tapering portions, arepreferably rounded or beveled, as at 19, so that they curve and mergeinto the circumference of the plunger and offer no defined edge or bluntpoint of resistance to the passage of the carbid, whereby the action ofthe carbid ing constituted by the body of the plunger at the line of thesegmental curvature of the recess and the recess being entirely open atboth its sides and at its front, and that the one-sided open recess inits relation to the cylindrical circumferential contour of the plungerforms a feed opening with a continuous segmental or arched section andof variable width and depth, as both the width and depth of theone-sided open recess gradually diminish from the point of greatestdepth or thevertex of the segment (see Figs. 2 and 3). The gradualvariation in the width, of the feed orifice formed by the one-sided openrecess, under the reciprocal action of the plunger with relation to thefeed-orifice edge of the valve member, is indicated by the separatesections shown above Figs. 6 and 7. This improved construction effectsthe variable feed of the carbid at all points with relation to the areaor segmental curvature of the recess, and thus effectively insures themost desirable and uniform conditions of operation and generation of gasin this class of lamps, which conditions are attained by the feeding ofcarbid to the generating chamber in just such quantity as is sufficientto meet the rate of consumption, by the continuous generationof onlysufiicient gas to maintain the normal degree of pressure. In

this respect my invention is distinguished from those feed constructionswhich are de-' signed to feed the carbid in predetermined graduatedquantities, and which therefore do not attain the desired conditions ofcontinuously uniform generation and the maintenance of a normal uniformdegree of pressure.

The conditions of operation, attained by the improved recessedconstruction as above set forth, are further enhanced by the features ofrelative construction and capacity in which the vertical centraltransverse plane of the plunger intersects the vertex of the segment orpoint of greatest depth of the continuous segmental curvature of theone-sided open recess.

In practice, the length and general dimen sions of the segmental concaverecess 16 are accurately proportioned to the diameter of the plunger andto the degree of gas generation desired to maintain a uniform pressurein the particular size and type of lamp to which my improvements areapplied, the regulation being such that the quantity of carbid fed tothe generating chamber will be simply sufficient to effect thegeneration of sufficient gas to maintain a normal uniform degree ofpressure.

It will be noted that the construction is such that a guiding action andfrictional bearing of the plunger in the valve'ring at the feed portionis maintained, by reason of the fact that approximately half of thecircumferential surface of the plunger exists cess 16.

It will also be understood that, while the plunger has a frictionalaction at the orificeedge 8 of the valve ring and is guided thereby, theconditions of operation are such that the generated gas passes'from thegenerating chamber to the carbid holder through said orifice. i

In relation to the operation just stated and the provision of a guidesurface approximating half of the circumferential sur face of theplunger, the preferred construction, as herein shown, in which theone-sided open recess is formed in thecircumferential surface of thecylindrical plunger rod at one side thereof, has the edges of the singlebase wall or side of the recess terminating at the line of thecylindrical circumference of the plunger, it being unnecessary in thisimproved construction to provide an open space at the circumference ofthe plunger and supplementary to the recess construction for the passageof the generated gas from thegenerating chamber to the carbid holder.'

The operative action of the segmental concaved recess 16, whichconstitutes the feed portion of the plunger, in relationto the orificeedge-8 of the valve ring, is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8. When the gaspressure lessens and the plunger consequently moves downwardly, itsmovement a slight distance, for instance to the position shown 1n F 1g.6, Wlll result in the feed of a small sure will be at once restored toits normal 1 uniform degree. In like manner, if the pressure haslessened to an extent which causes the plunger to reach a still lowerpoint, for instance as shown in Fig. 8, the feed opening will be ofstill larger. area and a correspondingly greater quantity of carbid willbe fed to at once restore the normal uniform degree of pressure. Thepoint indicated in Fig. 8 is the point of greatest depth of the concavedcurvature of the recess 16, wherethe size and capacity of the feedopening is at its maximum.

In practical operation I'have found that the conditions are usually suchthat there is but a slight movement of a plunger of this improvedconstruction and the feed But if the conditions are sustained in avirtually convirtually a constant feed and generation to just the extentwhich will so control the confiux of gasgenerating elements that therate of generation will be automatically maintained in uniformity withthe rate of consumption.

It will be noted that any conditions of operation which resulted in themovement of the plunger downwardly beyond the position shown in Fig. .8,which is at the central point of the concaved curvature of the recess 16and therefore at the point of greatest depth of the recess, would resultin a lessened feed of carbid as the plunger continued its downwardmovement, by rea son of the fact that the feed opening would graduallydecrease in size toward'the top of the recess, until the orifice in thevalve ring was closed by the cylindrical portion 18 of the plungerimmediately above the recess.

Under the general conditions of operation as illustrated in Figs. 6 to8, the concaved curvature of the recess 16 results in the reception bythe recess of a body of feed carbid from the main body in the carbidholder, which is ready for feeding at the opening existing at the lowerportion of the concaved curvature of the recess, so that a ready feed ofthe carbid to the extent of the capacity of said opening is effected.The body of carbid within the recess above the feed opening will be feddownwardly by the action of the upper wall of the recess, and thisfeeding action of the recess exerts just the required limited degree ofpressure by reason of the fact that the continuous curved contour of therecess does not offer defined or positive resistance to the carbid butacts smoothly and uniformly in the exertion of pressure thereon.

It will be noted that, under the improved features of construction asherein set forth, in the actual. usual conditions of operation the feedrecess has a larger opening for the inlet of carbid thereto, and alarger ca pacity, at its upper portion, than at the lower or bottomportion at which exists the outlet opening for the deposit of the carbid, which relative conditions result in the effective feed of thecarbid under the required pressures and in the required quantity torestore the gas pressure to its nor- I mal uniform degree and maintainthe rate valve ring gradually varies in size as the plunger moves. Thus,in the downward movement of the plunger, the feed opening will graduallyincrease in size until the point of greatest depth of the concave orcurvature of the recess is opposite the orifice edge of the valve ring.Such gradual variation in the size of the feed opening results in thecontrol of the feed of carbid variably so that only a sufficientquantity will be fed to restore the normal degree of gas pressure, andthis is an important feature in the operation whereby uniformity ofpressure is maintained and the rate of generation is adjusted touniformity with the rate of consumption.

The construction of the feed portion of the plunger is not onlyextremely simple and capable of convenient and inexpensive manufacture,but it precludes liability to clogging, or the adhering of slalredcarbid to or in the recess 16, as the feed action of the carbid iscontinuous with relation to the full extent of the recess and thesurface thereof is kept clear under the action of the carbid in itsdownward passage. The construction also enables rapid and convenientcleaning, whenever desired or required, as the entire surface of therecess 16 is exposed and extends in a continuous curvature withoutintervening partitions or cavities, and is open at both sides, andtherefore a suitable brush or cleaning instrument can be passed directlyover the entire surface.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the detailconstruction and arrangement of parts as herein shown and described, asit is manifest that variations and modifications therein may be resortedto, in the adaptation of my invention to varying conditions of use,without departing from the spirit and scope of my in vention andimprovements. 1 therefore reserve the right to all such variations andmodifications as properly fall within the scope of my invention and theterms of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, T claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent:

1. In carbid-feed mechanisms, comprising a carbid holder and agenerating chamher in communication by a feed passage and a plungergoverning the feed of carbid to water and having at said passage a valvemember provided with a projecting edge constituting a feed orificewithin which said. plunger fits and reciprocates by action of meansresponsive to pressure of the generated gas, a feed plunger having itsfeed portion constituted by a one-sided recess extending in the line ofthe movement of the plunger and formed in the side there of, the widthof the feed-orifice edge of said valve member being a relatively smallpercentage of the longitudinal extent of said recess, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

2. In carbid-feed mechanisms comprising a carbid holder and a generatingchamber in communication by a feed passage and a plunger governing thefeed of carbid to water and having at said passage a valve memberprovided with a projecting edge constituting a feed orifice within whichsaid plunger fits and reciprocates by action of means responsive topressure of the generated gas; a feed plunger having its feed portionconstituted by a recess formed in the side of the plunger and graduallyincreasing in width and depth from its lowermost point, the width of thefeed-orifice edge of said valve member being a relatively smallpercentage of the longitudinal extent of said recess, whereby the feedopening between the base wall of said recess and the orifice edge ofsaid valve member gradually increases and diminishes in both width anddepth under the reciprocal action of the plunger.

3. In carbid-feed mechanisms comprising a carbid holder and a generatingchamber in communication by a feed passage and a cylindrical feedplunger governing the feed of carbid to water and having at said passagea valve member provided with a projecting edge constituting a circularfeed orifice within which said plunger fits and reciprocates by actionof means responsive to pressure of the generated gas, a cylindrical feedplunger having its feed portion constituted by a recess extending in theline of movement of the plunger and formed in the side thereof andentirely open at both its sides and at its front and having its basewall segmentally curved, the width of the feed-orifice edge of saidvalve member be-' ing a relatively small percentage of the longitudinalextent of said recess, whereby the feed opening between the segmentalbase wall of said recess and the orifice edge of said valve membergradually increases and diminishes in both width and depth under thereciprocal action of the plunger.

4. In the carbid-feed mechanisms comrisin a carbid holder and a eneratinchamber in communication by a feed passage and a plunger governing thefeed of carbid to Water and having at said passage a valve memberprovidedwith a projecting edge constituting a feed orifice within whichsaid plunger fits and reciprocates, a feed plunger having at its feedportion a reduced circumference so related to the ori-,

name in the presence of the subscribing witnesses. r

LOUIS HARTMANN.

Witnesses MAX GoLDWIoK, HENRY IDnN.

Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of latents,

' washington -D. G.

